The second “Golden Bachelor” romance is over. Peg Munson announced in an Oct. 21 Instagram post that she has split from Mel Owens, nearly a year after he presented her with a diamond-encrusted commitment ring on the season 2 finale. The Golden Bachelor split ends a relationship that began on television and played out in public through the year. Munson shared the Golden Bachelor split news in an Instagram video.
“As a lot of you guys know, I went on ‘The Golden Bachelor’ hoping to find love, and I did. And you know for that, I am grateful,” Munson said in the post. “I did have to make the difficult decision to step away from the relationship and you know, sometimes even when there’s love, it just doesn’t turn out the way that we hoped.”
Munson did not offer additional details on why she decided to end the relationship. She described the Golden Bachelor split decision as difficult but did not say what led to it. Owens, 67, has not publicly commented on the breakup as of publication, and questions about the Golden Bachelor split are likely to follow him until he does.
Munson announces the Golden Bachelor split
Munson said she is now focusing on herself after a “really difficult” month. “I’m just focusing on healing my heart and just focusing on myself, my health and just looking forward to the next chapter,” she said. “I really do, just really wish Mel the best of luck and I’m very grateful for the experience.”
The retired firefighter and bomb tech made the announcement on Instagram, the platform where the couple had shared updates. Her tone was warm toward Owens even as she described a hard decision. The Golden Bachelor split ends the show’s second senior-season romance.
The Golden Bachelor split follows a season that drew attention for its unusual ending. Owens chose Munson over runner-up Cindy Cullers and gave her a diamond commitment ring instead of an engagement ring. He confirmed at the time that the two had discussed marriage but said there were no wedding plans “yet.”
A season that ended without an engagement
The November finale marked the first time the senior edition of “The Bachelor” franchise did not end with an engagement. The first “Golden Bachelor” season closed with Gerry Turner proposing to Theresa Nist during the November 2023 finale. They were officially married for three months before announcing their divorce in April 2024.
Joan Vassos said yes to Chock Chapple’s proposal in the November 2024 finale of “The Golden Bachelorette.” The couple remains engaged.
The season 2 finale took a different route. Owens and Munson left the show as a committed couple without an engagement, and they stayed “on the same page” about the lack of wedding plans during their off-camera time in the Antigua Fantasy Suites. Munson had previously said the arrangement suited them. “The nice thing about being in our golden years and retired is the heavy lifting is done. We get to have his house and my house and all the things we’re scheduled to do,” she said. “We’re going to have some fun.”
“We’re excited, we’re hopeful and we have life to live,” she added at the time. “This is our last chapter and we’re going to live it to the fullest.”
Owens and Munson before the Golden Bachelor split
Owens was drawn to Munson from the start of the season. “I had a crush on Peg from the beginning of the show, and I loved her energy,” he said. Runner-up Cindy Cullers had wanted marriage, which Owens said was unrealistic at the time. “She wanted something that was unrealistic at the time. I was telling her it was going to take time. And I just had a stronger connection with Peg,” he said.
Munson’s arrival at the Bachelor Mansion was memorable. The single carried a glitter bomb to mark her entrance. While the glitter bomb malfunctioned, Owens was instantly charmed. Set against their upbeat post-show interviews, the Golden Bachelor split lands as an abrupt turn.
Both are divorced and have grown children. With the Golden Bachelor split, both senior-season couples from the main “Golden Bachelor” series have now ended their relationships. Owens, a former NFL linebacker who played at the University of Michigan, had called his time on the show a life highlight. “After my kids, I played at the University of Michigan and in the NFL, so I’ve done a lot. And this is in the top three,” Owens said.
Owens had faced backlash before the season began for comments he made about cutting contestants over 60. The Golden Bachelor split arrived nearly a year after that November finale, closing a chapter that drew heavy attention from the start, from the casting controversy to the finale’s unusual ending.